Koenraad Beckers: A Love of Science Benefits Geothermal Research

March 27, 2018

In June, NREL researcher Koenraad Beckers will bike from Boise, Idaho, to Yellowstone
National Park. The ride is typical for this avid biker. The reason, though, is unusual.
Passionate about geothermal energy research, he wants to observe the hot water in
both places.

"It's a little geothermal team bike ride, if you will," said Koenraad. He'll be joined
by his former Cornell University Ph.D. adviser, another biking enthusiast who encouraged
him to ride in Upstate New York, as well as some other friends. "We’ll visit Boise's
geothermal wells and the plants where they run their geothermal system, and also do
some sightseeing. Then we'll go to Yellowstone, which is a beautiful place, but also
has a lot of geothermal activity."

Such an adventure isn't unusual for the Belgian native. Science and life have been
intertwined since he was a boy growing up in Sint-Truiden, a small town in the Flanders
region of Belgium, near Germany and the Netherlands. His first love back then was
star-gazing, learned from his father, a cardiologist and amateur astronomer.

Science Provides a Foundation

Koenraad pursued science in school, earning his bachelor's and then his master's degrees
from the University of Leuven in Belgium in 2009. "One of my favorite classes was
fluid mechanics and heat transfer in college. You can develop these models, do these
simulations, and come up with solutions you will see in real life." As Koenraad explains,
one can put a cup of coffee down and after 20 minutes, it is possible to predict what
temperature it will be. "You can use the science to simulate these events in real
life. It’s not just theory."

Having been encouraged to look beyond Belgium's borders, he found an internship at
a hydro-electric plant in Thailand—his first real work in renewable energy—and spent
a semester in Germany. "Those two experiences convinced me to see more things outside
of Belgium. It's so small, it’s easy to see everything."

While scanning for opportunities, he saw a program at Cornell that combined research
in energy with economics. Aided by a highly-competitive Fulbright grant, he came to
the United States. "I was supposed to only be one year in the U.S. But you get involved
in a project with your adviser, the adviser says 'Hey, there's more funding coming
in. Don't you want to stay longer?' So, I transferred into the Ph.D. program," he
said.

Arriving at NREL with a Head of Steam

For his Ph.D., Koenraad focused mostly on geothermal research and launched GEOPHIRES,
a geothermal techno-economic simulation tool. With his strong thermal background,
he was brought into NREL's Thermal Sciences Group in May 2016, as a postdoc. His manager,
Mark Mehos, gave him an opportunity to pursue concentrating solar power (CSP) research.
The common theme between geothermal and CSP is heat transfer. Drawing from his favorite
university class, he believes this heat is an overlooked form of renewable energy.
Heat is everywhere in the earth's subsurface, and that energy can be tapped: calculate
what the temperature is from a geothermal reservoir, design a process of pumping water
into the injection well and getting heat over the next 30 years. This is "very much
a heat transfer problem," Koenraad says.

While various forms of geothermal energy are gaining traction in Europe, China, and
elsewhere, Koenraad says support from the U.S. Department of Energy is encouraging
for the future development of this resource. He has personally benefited from NREL
support for his work and was part of a lab-directed funding opportunity for fiscal
year 2017 to upgrade his GEOPHIRES model.

Now a geothermal researcher, Koenraad is enjoying life at NREL. "I'm having a lot
of fun and learning a lot. My work keeps me going every day. And you really feel like
you are doing something useful for the world," Koenraad says. "I'm doing it with great
people here. I can't think of any other place I want to be now."

Being in Colorado only adds to the attraction, because in his spare time, he can hike,
snowboard, or cycle. Although he also gets back to Belgium regularly, Koenraad feels
there's plenty more to see in the United States. "Colorado is one of the best places
to be. And at the same time, I feel like a bit of a tourist, so I get to travel."

That explains his upcoming 400-mile bike trip. "It’s a great way to see the country,"
he says—as well as a good way to keep tabs on geothermal energy.